Students, Skate Canada and Stojko

Nearly 1,000 kids from the Halifax metro area got to see Canada’s best figure skaters up close and personal last week.

Students from grades four to six from 12 area schools made the trip down to the Scotiabank Centre to see the world’s best figure skaters practise before they compete in the 2016 National Skating Championships as part of the Skate Canada School Program.

The Skate Canada School Program allows local area schools to come and watch the senior practises for free. Skate Canada provides educational materials to the schools regarding the event, the athletes competing and the benefits of skating for a healthy lifestyle, in advance of the students coming to watch.

“It’s extremely important for students to get out and experience a variety of different extra-curricular activities,” said Lindsey MacDonald, teacher at Beaver Bank-Monarch Drive Elementary.

“Figure skating shows extreme determination, dedication and excellence in sports so today’s event was extremely beneficial.”

MacDonald said she showed her students some clips of the Canadian skaters beforehand so they would know a little bit about the sport.

During their visit, the students were featured on the Dance Cam and got a special visit from athlete ambassador for the week, Elvis Stojko.

Stojko said it’s great to be back in Halifax, where he competed in his first-ever World championships finishing ninth as a 17-year-old.

“It brings back memories,” he says. “It’s such a knowledgeable crowd, they’re so supportive.”

“It’s without the pressure, so I get to relax and enjoy.”

The two-time Olympic silver medallist added Halifax has “one of the best audiences in Canada.”

The children in attendance stormed Stojko asking for autographs on anything from their shirts, their boots and even their hands, many of whom weren’t even born when he appeared in his last international competition.

“I’m surprised, they’re a little younger,” he said. “My generation was before them, but thank God for YouTube.”

For many of the children in attendance, this is their first real exposure to the world of figure skating and Stojko says events like this might lead to the next Gabrielle Daleman, Patrick Chan, or even the next Elvis Stojko.

“It’s great for the kids to see a favourite they have or be exposed to skating.”

“Some of (the kids here) are hockey players, some of them skate, so this inspires them,” he said. “It’s definitely something that’s great for the sport.”

Students were encouraged to get creative by making handmade posters to cheer on the skaters.

The championships took place from Jan. 18-24, in Halifax at the Scotiabank Centre.